Into the Rushing Air
by Jounin
Summary: Cairo Jim Series. My take of the scene between Joss and Jim in the Lagoon of Tidal Magnificence. You know the one. Jim/Joss


Disclaimer: Cairo Jim and Jocelyn Osgood are the property of Geoffrey McSkimming. This is written purely for pleasure and not profit.

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**Into the Rushing Air**

Her heart thumped wildly as she felt her body sway. A sharp pain shot from her left thumb, but she gripped tighter onto Jim's boot. She was holding on as best as she could.

" …thumb's weakened…can only hold on with this one…"

She knew that it could not be for long.

Jocelyn glanced below her and her mind reeled at the dizzying height. She had been higher than this in a plane and parachute. But she had no parachute now. There was nothing to stop her plummeting into the thick green forest below. Sweat trickled down her neck and her palms were moist, making it the more difficult to hold on. The pain in her thumb throbbed persistently, like a knife stabbing into an already open wound. She felt her grip loosen.

"Jim!" she cried out in panic.

She stared up at him, eyes wide with fear. Jim's usually clear blue eyes were clouded with alarm, horror and pure terror. The muscles in his arms were taut, whiplash corded and gleaming with sweat. His brow was furrowed in desperation that made his breath came in quick shallow pants.

Even in this situation the worry and fear in his eyes bothered her and overrode her own fear. She had to calm him down, Panic only encouraged mistakes. He had to get the other side of the gap safely. This thought calmed her, and suddenly everything was thrown into perspective. He would not fall. She wouldn't allow it. Nothing now seemed more important than that.

Jocelyn looked up at him again and his eyes begged her to hang on, to not give up. But though Jocelyn was dauntless, she was also practical. There was little time left.

Looking into his face she realised that it was not imminent death that she feared most… it was never seeing him again. This frightened her as nothing had before. Never again to discover the mysteries of history with Jim and the gang. Never again to have conversations over the camp-fire on cool Egyptian nights when moonlight powdered the sand dunes. Where she would listen to his quiet voice talk excitedly about all the knowledge he wished to share. Never again to see him smile at her warmly. The smile that made her feel all tingly and warm inside because at that moment everything seemed to brighten.

"No Joss, hang on! Try with all your---"

Her heart thumped again, but this time it wasn't from fear. This was the last time that she was going to see him. The person whose friendship she treasured beyond anyone else's.

Jocelyn felt a pain in her chest and a light-headedness. For a moment she looked down and saw the chaos of the treetops spin beneath her. Doris' screeches were sharp against her ear. Her thoughts of never, never, never, reverberated in her mind, the world spun below her again and in that moment of panic she called to him once more, her voice frantic but not with fear, but with the urgency of one who knew that this could be the last chance.

"Jim!"

"Hang on!" he called back with equal desperation, "I'll just try to-"

Jim tried to swing his other hand to the pommel of the saddle, but slicked with sweat it slipped, leaving them swaying like a puppet on strings.

"I'm ssorry.. I- I-"

Jim's voice broke with desperate frustration. It was then that Jocelyn's mind cleared.

She looked plainly into his face, trying to etch it in her memory. It brought her back to their first meeting many years ago. It only seemed like yesterday, when she had met the quiet archaeologist-poet. She had been a trainee flight attendant, and he a novice out on the field, yet to make a name for himself. She felt the muscles of her finger weaken.

"Can't hold on any longer…" she muttered.

He looked distraught and she wanted to give him some reassurance. She had to let him know. That it was okay, that she had no regrets. Because many of her most happiest memories were of her, Jim, Brenda and Doris exploring a small wondrous pocket of the globe in hunt for its many treasures. That there was no place she would rather be than by his side, here and now.

"I'm sorry Jim" she whispered.

Her mind suddenly flashed back earlier that day to the conversation beside her broken plane. She would be unable to keep her promise. Her chest clenched again with that painful unknown feeling.

His eyes widened.

"JOSS, NO!"

She smiled. And it was warm, wide and dauntless. The smile she always gave him when they were parting. The one that always said, 'until we meet again.'

"I've always believed in following my heart and it led me here. I'd never missed this for the–" she stopped, looked up and there was a thrill of connection.

Her lips parted, as if to voice every buried thought, every feeling withheld. But there was really only one thing she wanted to say.

"Jim I–" she rushed. But then she could hold on no longer and gave herself to the sky. She made no sound. Everything was lost to the rushing air.

Above her Jim's shoulders heaved in grief.

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_ Author's Note:_ I was fascinated with this scene from 'Cairo Jim and the Lagoon of Tidal Magnificence' and always wondered how they were feeling and if it could have gone any differently. I read this series long ago and fell in love with the characters. It is a great children's series. Perhaps this is the first Cairo Jim fanfiction because I have yet to come across any other. But I hope there are at least some fans who would enjoy reading this. 


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